Tuesday, October 23, 2012

TLS Fics of the Week 10/22 - 10/28/2012: TLS Honors Just4Ale

We have a special treat for you all this week. As most of you know, the fandom lost a beloved member, Just4Ale, the first week in October. TLS wants you to know that our hearts go out to each and every one of you that were a part of her life each day. She was loved by many and will be remembered by all.

When things like this happen, it puts into perspective the friendships we've all made here- and they come to mean so much more when we are shown first hand, the examples of just how short life can be. For many of us this isn't just a fandom, it's a family, and when we lose one- whether we know them or not- we all feel it. We are blessed to have a small piece of Just4Ale that she left behind, in the form of a story: Tunes With Tony Masen.by Just4Ale.

This week, Twilover76 placed first in our poll for her amazing story, No Ordinary Proposal. Since we only feature one review each week, Twilover76 asked that we please honor Just4Ale, in her place. We were honored to fulfill her request and we ask that if you didn't get a chance to know Just4Ale while she was here, maybe you can take a day to get to know her wonderful story, Tunes With Tony Masen.

With Love,
PAWsPeaches

TLS Fics of the Week 10/22 - 10/28/2012

Tunes With Tony Masen by Just4Ale

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5821478/1/Tunes-with-Tony-Masen

It's ironic that I was the DJ and yet her voice called out to me, night after night, like a siren's song. She isn't just a listener; she's the listener. Tunes with Tony Masen outtakes from his POV. AH. Rated: Fiction M

Reviewed by: Diamond Hart

Tunes With Tony Masen

When I was asked to review this story in honor and remembrance of Just4Ale, I had to take a moment to reign in the emotions.

And then I asked myself how I should play this review. Should I reflect on Ale’s presence in the fandom? Should I focus solely on the greatness that is TWTM?

Then I said, screw it. I’m doing both.

Because really, there’s so much of Ale in Tunes that you can’t have one without the other.

I read Tunes back around 2010 and it was still updating on a regular basis. I think it was the fourth story I read. It was really the first time I’d ever read an older Edward paired with a younger Bella and quite frankly, I was a little freaked out by that. But then again, I wasn’t the seasoned fic reader I am today *snickers*.

Imagine listening in to a late night radio show just to hear the velvety tones of your favorite DJ, Tony Masen. Imagine that you call nightly to answer his 1970’s rock trivia questions only for it to turn into off-air conversations.

Imagine if Tony Masen isn’t at all what he seems?

The story follows Bella as she uncovers why people would be going after her best friends and why, ultimately, they’d want her dead. Ale leads us through several twists and turns, all ending in the discovery of who Tony Masen, seemingly innocuous DJ, really is. And, by the way, the banter between them is stellar...

He turned forward again. "You'll find out soon enough. Don't worry, darlin'," he said in that bedroom voice, giving me a sly side-glance, "you're in good hands. We're going to get very, very close."

Another confusing statement I didn't want to think about. I needed to change the subject. "So," I said, looking around, "how far can we get in this? As far as fast escapes go, we seemed to be plodding along."

"It'll get us where we need to be."

"But if those goons come back around…"

"We're fine, Izzy," he said, as he steered the boat to the right, staying near the San Francisco side of the Bay.

I turned to face outward and tried to remember the overall Bay Area layout. Where was he going? At a certain point down South, the Bay ended and you hit land. Besides, at our pace, those guys could circle around and find us in short order. "You're gonna need a bigger boat," I muttered, doing my best Roy Schneider imitation.

"It's not the size of the boat, sweetheart, it's the motion of the ocean.

Although, I think I have a pretty decent boat size."

I whirled around, my mouth hanging open again. "I can't believe you just said that!"

"I'm just talking about boats here," he said, trying to pull off that innocent act again.

He bit his bottom lip and gave me a cocky grin. "Fuck, you're fun to tease now that I know what to do."

I scoffed. "We haven't been together for a day and you already know my tells?"

"Your tell-" he began and then stopped himself. He raised an eyebrow and his eyes scanned my body slowly, making his way down and then back up to meet my gaze. "Well, you weren't easy to read at first, but your tone and body language give a lot away. Not to mention that adorable blush of yours."

His look was unnerving and I started turning pink. Crap!

"See what I mean?"

"You'd be the first person to tell me that," I said, trying to minimize my embarrassment. "Aside from my ridiculous blushing, everyone says I give almost nothing away."

His eyes shifted to look ahead again. "Maybe I'm the first person who's really paid attention. Or the first with whom you've let your guard down."

I frowned. That didn't make sense. Tony was the one person in my life where my guard should have been up in a big way.

This Bella is strong, resourceful, and quite sure of herself. All refreshing characteristics for a fic Bella, in my opinion.

The story is a wonderful adventure, complete with mystery, romance, and a cast of richly developed support characters that very few fic authors know how to pull off.

And in all of it, Ale’s personality and love of music shines through the entire story with a great soundtrack.

To me, Tunes is one of the fics that are part of the classics. It’s one of the few I would rec to someone just starting out reading fanfic... a must read.

On a side note, the entire fandom lost a great soul and presence with her passing. Everyone who has had any type of interaction with her, whether through Twitter, Facebook, emails, meet-ups, and/or Comic Cons, has been touched by her sweetness, kindness, humor, and strength. She loved fan fiction, she loved the fandom, and she loved life... and she fought for it, hard. In the end though, Heaven gained an angel, and we all lost a friend.

We honor her memory by reading and rereading her stories, and remembering her positive energy in the fandom. Ale, we will sorely miss you.

Love you, girl.

-DH78

No Ordinary Proposal by Twilover76

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8092082/1/No-Ordinary-Proposal

Bella wants to escape her small-town life and live her dreams in New York. What happens when a man almost twice her age makes her an offer she can't refuse? AH/M Rated: Fiction M

The Affair by Johnnyboy7

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8343731/1/The-Affair

After the death of her father, Isabella Swan moves to the East coast where she meets dentist Edward Cullen. He's older, a father, and married. Sometimes, you can't tell your heart who to love. Rated: Fiction M

Crushing by MidnightLove87

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8006433/1/Crushing

She's been crushing on him for years, this year she vows to make sure he sees her as something other than his pseudo little sister. Will he crush her when he shows up to Christmas with his new fiancée or will she crush him in return? AH Olderward. Rated: Fiction M

The Bear by Lady Gwynedd

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7827855/1/The-Bear

I wasn't at all sure about returning to Forks after my father died. But like a siren—not the one that came with his police cruiser, but the ones that lured you in too close to the rocks—I couldn't resist. Fate has a funny sense of humor. Rated: Fiction M

Mondays can't be THAT bad when you have a fresh batch of new recs from The Lemonade Stand! Dive right in with some old faithful authors ...

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